This invention relates generally to pneumatic tube systems and, more particularly, to a pneumatic mail delivery system that automatically delivers mail to a residence through a pneumatic conduit upon closure of a mailbox door.
Pneumatic tube systems have been used particularly in the banking industry for carrying objects between a customer""s vehicle and the main bank building in order to facilitate banking transactions, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,574 to Anders. Other pneumatic tube systems have been utilized for carrying parts between locations, such as the system proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,545 to Miyano. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing systems are not particularly suited for the rapid delivery of mail between a delivery location and a residence.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a pneumatic mail delivery system in which a carrier is automatically conveyed between carrier terminals upon closure of a carrier terminal door. Further, it is desirable to have a pneumatic mail delivery system in which a mail delivery person or a residential occupant is visually alerted as to the presence of mail at a carrier terminal.
A pneumatic mail delivery system according to the present invention includes at least one carrier having a cylindrical configuration and constructed generally of a transparent material. The system includes at least first and second carrier terminals, the first carrier terminal operating as a mail delivery location displaced from a residence and the second carrier terminal positioned in the residence proper. A pneumatic conduit interconnects the first and second terminals through which the carrier may be guided between the terminals. A blower connected to the conduit provides the air differential needed to convey the carrier. It is understood that a plurality of first carrier terminals may be positioned together within a mailbox delivery cabinet, as in the case of an apartment complex. A corresponding second carrier terminal would be positioned in each apartment with corresponding terminals being interconnected by respective pneumatic conduits.
Each carrier terminal includes a front panel defining an opening in communication with the conduit. A spring-biased button is positioned within each opening and is electrically connected to the blower. A momentary depression of the button closes a circuit to enable the blower to be energized so as to convey the carrier between carrier terminals. Obviously, whether the blower actuates a pushing force or a pulling force (a vacuum) depends on which button was momentarily depressed. It is also understood that the activation buttons are also electrically connected to an electrical power source.
Automatic delivery of the carrier upon closure of the mailbox door enables a mail delivery person to quickly deliver mail to one or more residences without having to perform the additional step of pressing a send button. This is especially advantageous when delivering mail to a plurality of mailbox terminals housed in a single mailbox cabinet at an apartment complex. In that case, all of the mailbox terminal doors may be opened, mail may be appropriately inserted into each carrier, and then all the doors may be closed so as to cause delivery of each carrier to respective apartments.
Each carrier terminal further includes a photoelectric light sensor electrically connected to a light source that is mounted to the front panel of the carrier terminal. The light sensor is positioned so as to reflect a light across the conduit and through the transparent carrier when the carrier is positioned at that carrier terminal. If the light is broken, such as by mail within the carrier, the light sensor energizes the corresponding light source to indicate the presence of mail in the carrier.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a pneumatic mail delivery system which automatically conveys mail from a mail depository terminal to a residential terminal through a pneumatic conduit upon closure of a mailbox door.
Another object of this invention is to provide a pneumatic mail delivery system, as aforesaid, that is more convenient for both mail delivery and receipt.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a pneumatic mail delivery system, as aforesaid, which visually indicates the presence of mail in a carrier.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a pneumatic mail delivery system, as aforesaid, which enables the carrier door to be closed simultaneously with closure of the mailbox door.
A further object of this invention is to provide a pneumatic mail delivery system, as aforesaid, in which mail may be inserted or removed from a carrier without having to remove the carrier from the pneumatic conduit.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.